Conventional insert bearing units incorporate a sealed single deep-groove ball bearing having an outer race ring with a sphered outer envelope surface, and a housing with a sphered bore for accommodating the bearings. Such bearings can accommodate moderate initial misalignment, but do not permit axial movement. Due to the specific application for these bearings, the bearing are affixed to a shaft in different manners, such as by a locking collar with a set screw, by an adapter sleeve, and by an appropriate interference fit.
EP 0 235 366 B1 and EP 0 388 378 B1 both disclose a bearing housing unit used for a self-aligning double row ball or roller bearing. The bearing units include a tapered clamping sleeve having a longitudinal slit and a flange provided on either side of the bearing. The bore of the inner ring of the bearing and the outer envelope surface of the clamping sleeve are both provided with mating tapering surfaces, such as saw-tooth-shaped wedging surfaces of a small longitudinal extent. Mounting and dismounting of the bearing on the shaft is carried out by axially displacing the bearing and the clamping sleeve relative to each other. Each side flange of the clamping sleeve is axially fixed on the sleeve, and is provided with threaded through-bores extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of the sleeve. The threaded through bores each receive a set screw.
To mount or dismount the bearing on the shaft, the bearing and the clamping sleeve are displaced relative to each other by screwing the set screws toward the bearing to transfer a force directly or indirectly to the bearing inner ring.